


Somebody to Someone

by mourntheantagonist



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Christmas, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Love Confessions, M/M, Max and Robin know all, Post-Episode: s03e08 The Battle of Starcourt, Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:00:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28165146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mourntheantagonist/pseuds/mourntheantagonist
Summary: He reaches into the envelope to surely find there to be just one remaining slip of paper. The slip is made from yellow construction paper and they clearly opted against using scissors as their method of cutting. The soft to the touch jagged edges indicative of a quick tear. He turns the slip over to reveal a name written in bold blue crayon.Steve.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove & Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington, Robin Buckley & Billy Hargrove
Comments: 18
Kudos: 81
Collections: Harringrove Holiday Exchange 2020





	Somebody to Someone

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sparkysparky](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sparkysparky/gifts).



**December 20th, 1985**

It’s six o’clock on a late December morning. Activity out on cherry lane is stagnant this time of year. Everyone has already finished up their Christmas shopping, school kids have been let out for break, and the blinding white snow piled high against their garages has everyone keeping indoors. Toasting up their hands and feet by the fireplace while sipping on hot mugs of cocoa wrapped up in heavy blankets to save the poor Californians facing the Indiana winter for the second time. 

It’s six a.m. and the town is asleep. Well everyone except for now billy and whoever is at his door pushing a finger to the doorbell. The ear piercing ring echoes throughout the house. Billy quickly drags his still sleepy body out of bed, hoping the ring’s echo faded before reaching the back of the house where his father is asleep. 

Wrapped up in an old ratted quilt he opens the door. It’s still somewhat dark outside. The sun just barely peeking over the horizon. Opening the door, there’s nobody standing in level with his eyes. He scans his eyes downward to be met with a mop of overgrown curls that he knows belongs to Max’s nerdy little friend. Justin, he thinks? That’s not the question on his mind though. The real question is what on earth is this puny little freshman doing on his doorstep at the ass crack of dawn?

“Max isn’t awake you little shit.” Billy says in the middle of a yawn. Billy goes to close the door in his face but the kid just steps inside the house.

“I’m not here to see Max.”

Billy groaned and dug at the crusts in his eyes. “Then why the fuck are you ringing my doorbell at six in the morning?”

“I’m here to see you asshole.”

That just added to the confusion as to why this toddler was now in his house dragging snow in through the doorway, melting into the carpet. “And why is that?”

“Secret Santa dipshit. You gotta pick a name.”

“Okay, I’m lost. What are you going on about?”

“Secret Santa? The Byers Christmas party? You were  _ invited _ .”

“I never said I was  _ going. _ ”

“Too bad. You are now, your name is already in the pool.” He knew there was a reason he liked this kid. He didn’t take shit from anyone. The only people who could get under his skin seemed to all be cute girls he crushed on. He was most certainly not afraid of Billy Hargrove, despite everything he’s seen him do. Although, given they all survived Billy under mind control by an actual monster from a separate dimension, you could reasonably predict Billy Hargrove, in his current post-injury state, wasn’t all that terrifying.

“Okay and what if I don’t?”

“If you  _ don’t _ someone will probably be really upset when they don’t receive a gift. It could be El. You want to be responsible for her tears?”

_ Oh fuck you dude. _

“Fine, just give me the slip already.” Dustin smiled a toothy grin… well... a not so toothy grin. The metal of his braces catching the light. He threw his backpack off one shoulder and reached for a crumpled up envelope that clearly has seen better days. 

“You’re the last to pick so just take the envelope.” Dustin pushes it into his open hand without care. “Ten dollar maximum. Making gifts is encouraged”

“Yeah yeah. One more question. Why did you have to come over this early?” 

“Visiting family today. Figured you’d want at least a day to come up with a gift.”

“Wait, the party’s tomorrow?!”

“Yup. The 21st. 5pm. Don’t be late.” Dustin left an incredulous Billy standing in the living room wearing a quilt as a cape shivering as the chill breeze from the outside came in through the open door. 

_ Fuck. _

He has two days. More like a day and a half to find a gift for someone he probably barely even knows. He’s hoping it’s Max. That would be a lot easier than, say, Nancy Wheeler or Lucas Sinclair. Oh Lucas would be simply enraged to find Billy to be his secret Santa. Or perhaps he’d actually enjoy it. Having Billy scavenging the town for something he’d like. 

Billy goes back into his room and climbs under the covers to try and regain some of the warmth that was lost to the outside air. The crumpled envelope is sitting on his nightstand, waiting, begging to be opened. He wasn’t going to be able to fall back asleep now, might as well humor himself.

He reaches into the envelope to surely find there to be just one remaining slip of paper. The slip is made from yellow construction paper and they clearly opted against using scissors as their method of cutting. The soft to the touch jagged edges indicative of a quick tear. He turns the slip over to reveal a name written in bold blue crayon.

_ Steve. _

The name in itself caused Billy’s heart to jump and his breath to hitch.

_ Steve. _

He couldn’t stop staring at it.

_ Steve. _

This shouldn’t be a big deal at all. It’s just a present that you’re giving out of sheer requirement. It’s a responsibility that was handed to you, nothing from the heart. For anyone else they’d see Steve’s name and pay it no more attention than they would have if any other name popped up on that slip of paper. Nobody else would have a slight panic over seeing the five letters arranged in that order. 

Billy wasn’t just anyone else. Because Steve wasn’t just anyone else to Billy. 

If you asked Billy who helped him the most through his recovery, well he’d lie and say he didn’t need any help. But the truth was that it was Max, but also for some reason Steve. For some reason Steve came to the hospital regularly with Max in tow. Sneaking in food that was sworn off by hospital staff. Bringing books and magazines for him to read since the hospital television didn’t play anything but the news. Just keeping him company at the times when he thought he might go insane over the bare white walls and incessant beeping of machines. 

He helped with the serious shit too. Holding the bucket under his chin as he threw up. Helping him in and out of bed. Holding his hand when he couldn’t breathe. Feeling that warmth encompass his hand and ground him. He’d squeeze it tight and fear he’d cause a fracture. 

Billy would thank him every time. Tell him he didn’t have to do that.

Steve would tell him not to flatter himself. That he’d do it for anyone.

That’s how the realization hit him.

Steve wasn’t just anyone to Billy.

But Billy  _ was _ just anyone to Steve. Steve didn’t get those butterflies in his stomach at the sheer brush of contact. Steve didn’t let Billy invade his dreams. Steve didn’t have vivid imaginations of fucking him in the backseat of the beemer. Steve definitely didn’t jerk off in the shower to mental images of Billy’s pillowy lips wrapped around his cock.

Because Billy was just anyone.

And the worst part about all of this is Billy has no fucking idea what to get him. The pretty boy who lives in all his fantasies is also the boy he knows next to nothing about. Favorite color. Birthday. Music taste. Nothing. The extent of his knowledge is that he works at family video and has never actually seen Risky Business despite his Halloween costume. All Nancy’s idea apparently. He knows the kind of car he drives and the sports he plays but nothing deeper than the surface level that any human being with eyes could easily deduce. 

He knows nothing about Steve, but Steve knows a shit ton about him. Steve knows he likes to read. He knows his favorite book is  _ The Chosen _ . He knows that Billy likes heavy metal but has a soft spot for The Beatles and Elton John. Steve found out about his mother from El. He knows how she left him. He knows why she left him. After an unfortunate slip up by one nursing assistant, he learned that the abuse didn’t end with his mother.

Billy didn’t like that. Someone knowing so much about him when he knew jack shit about the other. But Steve never offered, and Billy didn’t pry.

Billy could easily just go out and buy him something simple. Candy and snacks are universally loved. It would be easy, and that’s the problem. 

Something inside him didn’t want to give him something so half assed. Something so impersonal. Despite everything telling him it was a bad idea, that Steve was a bad idea, he wanted to make that pretty boy smile. He wanted Steve’s heart to lurch in the same way Billy’s did every time Steve looked at him. He wanted Steve to feel special and loved and maybe, just maybe, find that Billy could become someone. Not just anyone.

Somehow through all his thinking an hour had passed. The sudden chirp of his alarm clock pulling him out of his mind. He slams his hand on the clock rather aggressively, cutting off the repetitive beeps that rang in his ear. 

Billy pulls himself from bed once again, ignoring the slip of paper on his nightstand and heads into the kitchen. Max is sitting at the table, slowly eating a bowl of cereal, his father is just heading out the door for work. Her hair is a mess and she looks ready to pass out into her bowl of milk.

“What are you doing up so early?” He asks as his father shuts the door.

“Dustin woke me up. He told me he stopped by this morning.” She’s moving her spoon around the bowl trying to catch some lucky charms marshmallows on her spoon. “Who’d you get?”

“Isn’t it supposed to be a secret?” 

“I already know it’s not me so you can tell me. Will kind of let it slip that he was mine.” Max finally scoops up a heart shaped marshmallow. 

“How about you help me come up with a gift and I’ll tell you?”

She gave him a little glare. “Sure. Now tell me.”

“It’s Steve.”

“Oh?” She gave him a knowing look that pissed him off. 

He never told her about liking Steve. He never told anyone. If it was up to him that secret would go to his grave with him. But El saw into his mind. She saw what happened in California and unknowingly outed Billy to Max. He wanted to be bad at her, but they had this weird connection and he knew she absolutely meant no harm. He has the biggest soft spot for El it’s unreal.

The Steve information was never shared, but of course Max knew. He kind of figured she had known after watching all the faces she’d make watching the two of them talk. But she never actually said anything. Which he kind of appreciated. He didn’t want to talk about it, and she respected that to an extent.

“I have zero idea what to get him.”

“And you want to get him something  _ special.” _

She decided now is the perfect time to start pushing that boundary.

“Shut up.” He says, but instantly sighs. “Yeah.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes! Alright. I don’t want to just get him some stupid thing. I want it to be good okay?”

That was the closest thing Billy had ever given Max as to a verbal confirmation of her theories about his feelings for Steve.

Her smile softened a little bit. She liked to push Billy, but she knew to avoid pushing him too far. “Okay. How about we both get dressed and head into town? Maybe we could get some ideas while out there.”

Billy nodded and headed off back to his room. Ignoring the flutter in his belly at every thought of Steve.

\- : -

Eventually the two of them found themselves wandering into Family Video. After exhausting nearly every shop on Randolph Way. Max had dragged him in through the double doors and it wasn’t until he’d entered that he remembered that Steve worked there.  _ Fuck.  _ What was Max playing at here?

When he looked at the counter he only saw Robin and Keith. No Steve Harrington in sight. 

“Steve’s not in today. I clearly haven’t been much help to you so I figured you could ask Robin. I’ll go look around.” She smiled at him and gave him a tug on his wrist before walking away into the action section.

“Hey Hargrove what brings you in?”

“Umm,” his hands were shoved into his jacket pockets. Fists squeezing tightly for comfort. “I actually needed to ask you something.”

“Shoot.”

“I’m Steve’s secret Santa and I have no fucking clue what to get him. Can you help me with that?”

Robin shot him a look nearly identical to the one Max had given him this morning. Was he that obvious? He didn’t think he was. 

“Well, Steve doesn’t tell me a lot of things, but I like to think I still know him at least a little bit. This might sound lame but the guy could really use a good keychain. He’s constantly losing his work keys, car keys, house keys, you name it.”

“You’re right that is lame.”

“Well that’s all I can offer. Good luck.”

“Yeah thanks.” Billy wanders away from the counter and drags Max out of the store.

“So what did she say?” Max asks once they’re in the Camaro. They’re sitting in the parking lot and Billy has his arms draped over the steering wheel with his forehead resting upon his arms. 

“She said to get a keychain. A fucking keychain. That’s ridiculous.” His voice was muffled. 

“It’s not totally ridiculous. You could personalize it. Maybe we can go to the jewelers and see if they have any charms?” She’s resting a hand on his shoulder now. Trying to tell him that she  _ knows _ without actually telling his that. “I think he’ll like it.” She smiles.

\- : -

They found a metal baseball bat charm. The perfect size. He instantly came up with an idea. 

When they arrived home and successfully avoided Neil who was passed out drunk on the couch, he found his way to the garage. Pulling the little box out of his jacket pocket he inspected the charm closely. It needed a finishing touch. 

His father had taught him how to weld when he was fourteen. If he knew he’d be using this knowledge to make a gift for the boy he liked, oh he would be absolutely livid.

Scouring through his tool box he found a key ring and thumb tacks. He sanded down the tips so they weren’t so sharp and put the metal to the torch. Mending the spikes to the bat. It was a little messy and clearly homemade, but so was the original nail bat. It just felt right. He attached the key ring to the end and it was complete once a bit of polish was applied. 

He placed the finished product back into the box it came in and went to his room. His father was still sound asleep surrounded by empty cans. Just like usual.

\- : -

**December 21st, 1985**

He woke up in his bed still fully clothed. The box in his pocket pressing against his stomach reminding him of what today was. Well that and Max jumping into his bed being the actual force that woke him up.

“Billy it’s noon, did you finish the keychain?”

He responds by pulling out the little box and handing it to her. She opens it up and immediately smiles when she sees what’s inside. But then her smile falters after a few seconds of looking at it.

“What?”

“I know you don’t want to talk about it, but I think it’s a good idea to tell Steve how you feel.”

Billy makes an angry face. “What are you talking about?” He knows exactly what she’s talking about.

“You know I’m not stupid so don’t ask dumb questions like that. Steve is good. You should tell him. Just think about it. Okay?” She closed the box and walked out of his bedroom without another word. 

That’s the most upfront Max has ever been about the  _ topic. _ A small part of him thinks she’s right. A huge part of him hopes she’s right. Every part of him needs her to be right because now he’s sitting at his desk writing a lengthy letter to Steve. Pouring his entire heart out onto the paper in a voice he’s never used before. Laying it all out on the line. Telling him how he’s the reason he pulled through. He’s the reason he can wake up in the morning. The reason he hasn’t ran off to California and abandoned Max. He’s his anchor with a ridiculous sailor suit to match. 

He nearly reached the end of the paper before he signed his name. Not allowing himself to read it over before enclosing it inside an envelope. He writes Steve’s name on the back of it and sets it aside. Letting it burn a hole through the desk all day until him and Max leave for the Byers.

\- : -

By the time him and Max pull up to the Byers house the party has already begun. The muffled sounds of Christmas music and laughter pouring into the outside. He has the letter on the dash, he’s just staring at it. 

“Is that for Steve?” She points to the envelope.

He just nods his head, not sparing a glance in her direction. “I don’t think I can do it.”

“It’s okay. But if you do, I got your back.”

“Thanks shitbird.” He ruffled her hair and exited the Camaro. Taking the little wrapped box with Steve’s name on it, but abandoning the letter on the dash. Another time.

When they get inside everyone is already there. They were late after all. The kids are all gathered around the kitchen table. Hopper and Joyce are cooking up some deserts and  _ definitely  _ flirting. Steve and Robin are hanging on the couch by the tree next to Jonathan and Nancy. Max wanders away towards her group of friends and Billy walks over towards the couch trying desperately to ignore the awkward feeling he has about the situation.

They have all hung out in a group before. Still, every time felt like he was a fifth wheel no matter how many times Steve insisted he was not interested in Robin. He finally believes that now, but it didn’t change anything. Because he was still the fifth wheel to some capacity. Steve and Robin, despite not being romantically involved were still a pair akin to Jonathan and Nancy. Billy was on his own crashing the fun. It definitely didn’t help that he had a school girl crush on the brunette. 

They were talking about how Jonathan had received his acceptance letter to NYU just yesterday. Nancy had seemed a little bummed because she hadn’t gotten a letter yet. Nobody doubted she would get in with her grades. Steve had recently started EMT training after finding a flyer outside the Family Video. He’ll get his certification in January. He plans to move to Chicago when summer hits. Billy felt a pang in his chest when he heard the news. Here he was setting up camp in Hawkins for Steve while Steve was ready to pack up and leave without asking Billy how he felt. But why would he?

They all continued to talk about their futures. Robin hasn’t decided where she wants to go yet. Stuck between Indiana State and University of Washington. Her parents want to keep her home, but she wants to get away. He feels awkward in this conversation because he has no plans for himself. They all washed away in July. It’s hard to go to school on a basketball scholarship when you could barely stand up for longer than a half hour at a time. They’re all pulled from their conversation when they hear Joyce’s voice echo throughout the living room.

“Hey everyone, dinners ready. Dig in!”

\- : -

They’ve reached the point of the night when they’ve begun opening gifts. A wave of anxiety washes over him as he stares at the little box under the Christmas tree. 

“Okay so how this is going to work is you’re going to find your gift under the tree and open it. You’ll get one guess as to who your secret Santa is. If you get it wrong they can choose whether or not to reveal themselves once everyone has already made their guesses.”

Everyone nods in agreement and begins the search for their present. Billy focuses all of his attention on finding the one with his name and pushing away all thoughts about Steve. He finds a small rectangular object wrapped in red wrapping paper with small snowmen. 

He makes his way back to where he had been seated on the floor and opens it up to find a mixtape. Written on the case in blue sharpie it reads:  _ Tunes that won’t wake the neighborhood.  _ He laughs. The track listing includes Stairway to Heaven and Bohemian Rhapsody. Basic as hell but still very good. 

He looks around the room to see what everyone else has received. Max had got Mike a Star Wars themed board game. Will had got Max bright green wheels for her skateboard. Everyone seemed very happy with their gifts and it all seemed really nice. 

“Hey Steve what did you get?” Dustin asks.

Steve holds up the keychain for everyone to see. 

“Is that the bat?” Nancy asks.

“That’s pretty cool not gonna lie.” Lucas adds.

“Who do you guess got it for you?” 

Steve glances around the room. Billy is avoiding eye contact with Steve. 

“Robin?” He guesses. Billy didn’t know whether to be relieved or upset that he didn’t guess him. He guesses it would make more sense for it to have come from Robin. It was kind of her idea after all. 

“Nope not me. Whoever got you that must think you’re cool.”

“Oh shut up Robin.” 

The part turns their attention away from Steve and continues on with the game. Billy had guessed his gift was from Jonathan, he apparently was wrong too. 

\- : -

The party is nearing its end and everyone is heading out. Steve had left shortly after the presents were opened which cut off any opportunity Billy had to give Steve the letter that was still sitting on his dash.

As Billy and Max are making their way out the door, Robin corners him on the porch. 

“Hey Max, can I talk to Billy for a second?” 

Max nods and takes Billy’s keys and goes to sit in the passenger seat to wait for him.

“That was really sweet what you made for Steve.” Robin shoved her hands in her pockets and bounced up and down to try and warm herself up from the cold of the outside air. “Look, I know you like Steve. He likes you too so can you please just give him the letter that’s sitting on your dash in plain view?”

“I don’t know what the fuck you’re on Buckley but you’re way off base.”

“I’m not an idiot Hargrove. Cut the shit and tell him. At the very least tell him you’re the one who gave him the keychain. He has a gift for you too.” She heaved out a sigh, her breath visible due to the chill in the air. “I’m gay. I know you are too. It’s okay. Just tell Steve. It’ll be okay. Trust me. Oh and by the way, I was your secret Santa.” With that she walked off towards her car leaving Billy stunned on the Byers porch. 

When he finally made his way to meet Max in the Camaro he just stared at the letter on the dash. 

“What was that about?” She asked.

“We’re going to Harrington’s.”

\- : -

When they reach the front of the house, they sit there for a long while. Complete silence. Max is afraid to say anything with how tense Billy is. Instead she offers a soothing hand.

“I can do this right?” He asks, breath shaky.

“Yes. I’ll be right here.” 

Billy nods his head and makes his way to the front door. Basically having to drag his feet the whole distance. His shoes feel like they weigh a hundred pounds. 

He gently knocks on the door and holds his breath as he waits for an answer. It’s taking a while. Maybe he’s already asleep. After an agonizing minute he goes to walk back towards the Camaro but then he hears the creak of the door opening up from behind him. 

“Billy?” Steve asks.

Billy pauses before practically blurting it out. 

“It was me. I was your secret Santa.”

Steve smiles. But it hurts Billy just a little. He keeps holding onto Robin's words _ “he likes you too.”  _ she said he likes him too. 

“Wow. Um. Thank you. It’s really cool.”

Billy is clutching the letter behind his back. 

“I actually have something for you, just wait right here.”

“Stop!” Steve halts at Billy’s shout.

“Huh?”

Billy reveals the letter behind his back and hands it to Steve. “Just read this first. Now.” Billy sounds out of breath.

Steve gives him a weird look before tearing open the envelope and pulling out the letter. Billy watches as Steve’s eyes shift back and forth along the page as he reads it. Trying hard not to read into his reaction. That’s not very hard considering there really isn’t one. Not before long he’s folding the paper back up and looking at Billy. 

“I’ll be right back. Wait here.”

Before Billy can protest Steve is running up the stairs to his room. It’s not thirty seconds later that he’s back down, holding a shiny brass key in his fingers. 

“I know about your Dad. What he does. This is a key to my place. I want you to come here when things get bad.” He takes Billy’s hand in his and places the key in his palm. “Promise me you’ll come here.”

Billy can’t resist the urge to plant one directly on Steve. His lips are on Steve’s and his hands are still being held. Billy feels every weight on him rise as Steve starts to kiss him back. He feels like he’s going to cry with all the emotions flowing through his body. He never thought he could have  _ this _ . But now it’s so in reach he doesn’t know what to do with himself.

They pull apart after a moment and lock eyes. 

“I really fucking like you.” Billy says, Steve feeling the hotness of his breath because their faces are so close to each other. 

“I got that from the letter.” Steve smiles. “I really fucking like you too, God knows why.” Billy laughs and pulls Steve back in. 

He finally felt like  _ somebody _ .


End file.
